No Wood Fires – Any Bright Ideas?

6 Tea Candles inside a 12" aluminum foil bowl.

I have gone without a fire for many years now. Take warmer clothes and discover the stars!

This should work.

LOL, Doug!

FIND ANOTHER AREA or hike in a different season. Nothing replaces a wood fire to sit around and BS. But with a large enough tent you can light up the inside and play cards. Not really backpacking light but like I said NOTHING replaces a nice fire.

LED lights are so bright nowadays. Hell, there's a company about to put out a LED headlamp that puts out 500 lumens, uses 2 AA batteries and weighs under 3.9 ounces WITH the batteries and that weight can be slightly lighter if you remove its magnet. Hang something like that from a branch and you'll have plenty of light for your group.

There are canister lanterns out there as well as white gas. Coleman made one mantle Peak lanterns that put out plenty of heat and light but which also could be dimmed to just a soft glow.

Someone asked about the headlamp. It's made by Spark. http://www.spark001.com

It'll probably cost about $100. It will look like:

Dimension: 67mm*32mm
5 modes, super=500 lumens, max=320 lumens, med1=150 lumens, med2=50 lumens, low=8 lumens
XM-L emitter
Flood light pattern, removable built-in magnet
~110 grams with 2 AA batteries

My only issue with it is that the lowest setting is too bright.

I honestly cant' remember the last time I had a camp fire. We sit around until we get too cold and then turn in.

I call them Eco Candles, but most people have different names for them.

http://www.rootsimple.com/2007/01/buddy-burner.html

BD Orbit or Apollo lantern.

I have gone without a fire for many years now. Take warmer clothes and discover the stars!

+1

Fire cuts you off from your environment.

Half the time I go camping there are no stars to be seen. Always nice to hang out in the Megalight with the Orbit hanging up

I agree with the other posters here suggesting that no fire is best. I just spent the past weekend in a fire prohibited area, and there is something really cool about sitting in the dark surrounded by billions of stars. (and 1000 ft. sandstone cliffs in my case)

Back in March I was in in the desert sitting in the dark at about midnight, when what seemed like 2 dozen very close range coyotes all started howling at once. One of the coolest 5 minutes I have experienced.

You might consider one of the smaller sized kerosene lanterns, they put out a good amount of light and are not unreasonably heavy (under 1 lb), plus they do provide some atmosphere.

http://www.garrettwade.com/bright-tin-hurricane-oil-lamp/p/51T01.01/ is an example of a good quality one. They will burn all night long.

They are actually relatively compact.

Use a few ESBIT tabs for your "campfire".

Try a "Buddy Burner" made from a rolled up 1" strip of cardboard inside a tuna can.
You soak the cardboard with parafin or a melted candle. Be carefull with any fire up there. I'd hate to see any more of the Idyllwild Mt San Jacinto area burned by careless hikers. :o(

the buddy burner is what Jack posted a link to in his post above

How about a Black Diamond Orbit LED lantern? Great tent light too– it can be dimmed to suit. Fires are so primal and a big part of my camping experience, but too dangerous in dry forests. I like kerosene lanterns when car camping, with their warm light and quiet operation.

http://www.blackdiamondequipment.com/en-us/shop/mountain/lighting/orbit

Thanks for the input everyone. I've seen some of those little LED lanterns before(I even have one) and I think those are great for cooking and just general lighting, but nothing is quite like the warm light produced by a natural flame. I really like the "buddy burner"/"eco-candle" a couple of you suggested and will give that a try – I just need to find a can that has a secure lid so I don't end up with melted wax inside my pack.

Don't get me wrong, I love checking out the stars at night but to me it's just not camping if you can't sit around a fire after dinner and BS with your buddies for a bit before turning in (even if it is a very small fire)

What I found works just as well is a 2 L platypus bladder (one of those ones that have the little bit of extra plastic at the bottom that allows it stand upright when filled with water), with a headlamp or flashlight stuffed underneath it. The bladder acts as a genius light diffuser, making for one of the brightest backcountry lanterns I have ever seen.

Cheers

John

Those cans of Frito Lays Jalapeno Cheddar dip are about the right size, and they have a plastic snap-on lid for after you've opened them. Might work.

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Dale, I have that lantern and DO NOT like it. Half the time it shuts off or won't work at all….maybe it is defective???

I agree that it is nice to sit around a fire, but I also enjoy the non fire sit around too. Just depends really

Thanks Doug, I've been trying to think of something just like – should be perfect size as well.